Sample Select Journeys
Theater Lover’s London
8 Days
Travel to London and immerse yourself in its incredible theater culture. But this is not your normal London trip plus tickets to a few shows — though top price seats to three hit shows are included. This is a chance to immerse yourself in the tradition of London theater — from Shakespeare to today’s West End productions. Travelers visit behind the scenes at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, visit Covent Garden’s Theatre Museum and enjoy storytelling-on-the-go during two private theater walks designed especially for our group.
A highlight of the trip a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe where we’ll participate in a private Shakespeare road & Underground rally and explore London on foot and by tube in search of a variety of representations of Shakespeare from the 17th to 20th centuries. Theater Lover’s London stays in luxurious and spacious, full-service apartments that have been outfitted to meet guests’ modern needs, yet retain the splendor and luxury of London’s Edwardian past. Travelers enjoy plenty of “spreading out” space— plus all the excellent services and facilities of a deluxe hotel.
Wines of Chile & Argentina
8 Days
Here is a trip for those who love fine wine, tempting cuisine, and incredible scenery. But you don’t have to be a wine expert to savor this adventure. It’s designed as an introduction to the fine wines and lovely vineyards of Chile — one of only a few countries in the Southern Hemisphere which lie within the requisite 30° to 40° latitude to produce fine wines. The vast Atacama desert to the north, the sheltering Andes to the east, the Pacific breezes from the west and ice fields to the south create an ideal microclimate for cultivating the most noble French stock; they also act as a barrier that protects the vineyards and creates one of the last bastions of ungrafted vinifera vines. The new Chilean wine began to appear on European markets in 1877, winning important awards and the praise and recognition of wine experts. Today Chile is recognized as one of the finest — and most beautiful — wine regions in the world. You’ll learn about, taste and enjoy the wines of some of Chile’s finest vineyards and wineries, stay in charming country inns and visit the homes of poet and Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda on this delightful 8-day tour.
Chinese New Year
8 Days
Hong Kong - City of Life! One of the hidden delights of Hong Kong is its vibrant fusion of traditional culture and 20th-century sophistication. Ancient traditions thrive side by side with this ultramodern city. Here, 150 years of British colonial influence has been woven into 5,000 years of Chinese culture, creating an incredibly rich tapestry of customs, architecture and cuisine. There’s no better time to visit Hong Kong than during Chinese New Year. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration - a colorful New Year’s Parade and a spectacular fireworks show in the world’s most beautiful waterfront setting, the neon-lit cityscape of Victoria Harbor!
Hay Festival
9 Days
“One of the most important festivals in the English-speaking world.”
— New York Times
The Hay Literary Festival was founded in 1988 and is now the largest literary event in the world, described by Britain’s newspapers as “a literary Smorgasbord” (the Guardian) and “the British Bayreuth”(The Times). For ten days in late May and early June, there are nearly 200 scheduled programs of interviews, lectures, cabaret, exhibitions, recitals and classes. The magic lies in the relaxed and informal Festival atmosphere, where you can meet Nobel Prize winners and media stars in an easy and convivial setting. The Festival is about great use of language in books, music, film, comedy and news media. Many of the writers, speakers and musicians here will be familiar and classic; others are cutting-edge artists and writers whose “debut” is at the festival.
Hay-on-Wye is a market town in the Black Mountains of the Welsh Marches. It has 1,300 permanent residents and thirty-eight bookshops. Hay is the perfect setting in which to hold the Festival. The food is delicious, the mountains and river are beautiful, and the town boasts many fascinating shops, galleries and discoveries. The festival organizers have worked hard to maintain an atmosphere that the BBC described as “a cross between an international conference and a country wedding.”
Our trip begins with a day in London, and then travels to the festival in Wales in time for the opening events. Before departure from the States, guests choose activities & events for these next four days. On The Map Travel’s Hospitality Desk at the hotel will be open morning and evening to secure tickets to additional events — lectures, concerts & films. Other local activities include guided walks along two major footpaths; the Wye Valley Walk and Offa’s Dyke Footpath Walk. Hay is located on the River Wye which affords guests the opportunity to canoe, kayak and fish. The Hay Festival runs during the opening of both the Chelsea Flower Show and the Royal Shakespeare Theater at Stratford-on-Avon; pre-tours to both these events are available.
Christmas Markets Cruise
8 Days
Travelers can enjoy the charm of an Old World Christmas on this eight-day Christmas Markets trip — a unique program that includes four of Europe’s top Christmas markets: Prague, Nuremberg, Rothenberg and Dinkelsbuhel. At all of the markets, there will be plenty of time to wander through the crisp winter air to the hundreds of stalls filled with handmade toys, ornaments, wood carvings and beeswax candles made by local master craftsmen. In between bargain-hunting, travelers can warm up with the regions’ traditional foods of the season such as gingerbread, roasted almonds and gluehwein, a spicy hot mulled wine. Throughout the journey you’ll be surrounded by holiday excitement — the cities, towns and villages are filled to the brim with sparkling lights, abundant decorations and beautiful Nativity scenes.
